Eating disorders at puberty.

Many overweight children grow taller as they approach puberty and invariably slim down. Some adolescents, however, do overeat all the wrong foods, that in many cases due to a need to comfort eat to compensate for negative feelings and emotions. 

Being overweight, can lead to low self esteem and the comfort eating may be in part to compensate for this. As the teenager becomes more overweight, this sense of self-worth can plummet further and the cycle is perpetuated.  Parents can support their children with understanding and reassurance, allowing them to talk about their insecurities and difficulties in non-judgemental atmosphere.

A few teenagers will go on to develop more serious eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.  Anorexia is a condition where the need to loos weight and diet becomes compulsive and teenager eats less and less. This is a very dangerous situation as severe weight loss can cause many serious physical problems. Counselling can be particularly useful to help the child and the family to understand the issue underlying anorexia. Constitutional Homeopathic treatment can be beneficial to help the child to deal with some of the emotional issues, that underlie this disease.

Teenagers with bulimia are also preoccupied with fear of getting fat and follow a pattern of compulsive eating and then vomiting it up or using laxatives. These teenagers usually suffer from anxieties and profound lack of self-worth. This condition also need help, which  may include counselling and constitutional Homeopathic treatment.